Leaders of four streams of North American Jewry gathered for a press conference in New York earlier this week to announce their endorsement and support for the United Jewish Communities (UJC) Israel Emergency Campaign. The UJC represents 189 Jewish Federations and 400 independent communities across North America. Arutz-7\'s Josh Hasten notes that although individual Federations in the U.S. have raised funds for interests in Yesha (Judea, Samaria, and Gaza), UJC policy currently does not permit funding for humanitarian projects in Yesha.
That policy may soon change, however. A Yesha Council spokesman told Arutz-7 today that the UJC is planning to earmark funds in its 2002-03 budget to help Yesha victims of terror and their families. The spokesman said that final negotiations between the Council and the Jewish Agency in Israel, representing the UJC, are currently taking place to push the policy changes through.
The UJC established its Israel Emergency Campaign - entitled “We Stand with Israel Now and Forever” - last month in response to the humanitarian and financial needs of Israelis living under the constant threat of Arab terror. North American Jewry has so far pledged over $120 million to the campaign, the goal of which is to raise over $300 million. Earlier this month, the UJC announced that funds would be directed to areas of critical need in Israel, including providing assistance to hundreds of terror victims and their families and other emergency services including providing ambulances providing hospitals with ambulances. Despite this wording, current UJC policy, as mentioned above, does not include Yesha projects in the funding efforts.
That policy may soon change, however. A Yesha Council spokesman told Arutz-7 today that the UJC is planning to earmark funds in its 2002-03 budget to help Yesha victims of terror and their families. The spokesman said that final negotiations between the Council and the Jewish Agency in Israel, representing the UJC, are currently taking place to push the policy changes through.
The UJC established its Israel Emergency Campaign - entitled “We Stand with Israel Now and Forever” - last month in response to the humanitarian and financial needs of Israelis living under the constant threat of Arab terror. North American Jewry has so far pledged over $120 million to the campaign, the goal of which is to raise over $300 million. Earlier this month, the UJC announced that funds would be directed to areas of critical need in Israel, including providing assistance to hundreds of terror victims and their families and other emergency services including providing ambulances providing hospitals with ambulances. Despite this wording, current UJC policy, as mentioned above, does not include Yesha projects in the funding efforts.